From 2007 to 2009, Gentile played with the junior teams of Treviso Basket. In 2009, he signed to play with Treviso's senior men's team and in the 2009–10 season, he played in 24 games in Italy's top-tier levelLBA league, averaging 3.4 points and 1.2 rebounds per game. In 2011, he won the Italian League's Best Player Under 22 award. On June 14, 2011, he signed a three-year contract extension with Treviso Basket.[2]

In December 2011, Gentile left Treviso Basket and signed a four-year deal with Olimpia Milano.[3] In 2013–14, Gentile had a break-out season, averaging 11.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists over 21 games in the EuroLeague. In June 2014, after Milano won their 26th Italian League championship, Gentile was named the Italian League Finals MVP.[4]

In July 2014, Gentile penned a new three-year contract with Milano.[5] A year later in 2015, the Milano captain extended his contract until 2018, with a new three-year deal.[6] On October 6, 2015, Gentile played against the NBA's Boston Celtics, in the NBA Global Games tournament.

On December 5, 2016, Gentile reached an agreement with his Italian team, and he left Milano to conclude his season on loan in a non-Italian team.[9] On December 19, 2016, Gentile then joined the Greek club Panathinaikos, on a loan from Olimpia Milano, for the rest of the season.[10] He was with Panathinaikos, as they won the 2017Greek Cup Final against Aris.

He was then released by Panathinaikos in March 2017.[11] With Panathinaikos, he averaged 3.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.3 steals per game with them in the EuroLeague,[12][13] and 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 0.6 steals per game in the Greek Basket League.[14]

Gentile is the son of the Italian basketball icon Nando Gentile. He is also the younger brother of Italian professional basketball player Stefano Gentile.[24] Alessandro moved around Italy and Europe, following his father during his playing career. Along with his older brother Stefano, he played with the youth teams of Panathinaikos in Greece, while his father played with the club's senior team.[25] He has played with his brother in the senior Italian national team and Virtus Bologna.

1.
2014 NBA draft
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The 2014 NBA draft was held on June 26,2014, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U. S. college basketball players and other eligible players, the draft lottery took place on May 20,2014. Television rights in the United States belonged to ESPN and it was tipped by many to be one of the deepest and most hyped draft classes in recent years, with several players touted as future stars. These eligible players were not selected in the 2014 NBA draft but have played at least one game in the NBA, in April 2015, the undrafted Sim Bhullar became the first player of Indian descent to play in the league. The draft is conducted under the eligibility rules established in the leagues new 2011 collective bargaining agreement with its players union, the CBA that ended the 2011 lockout instituted no immediate changes to the draft, but called for a committee of owners and players to discuss future changes. As of 2014, the eligibility rules for the draft are listed below. All drafted players must be at least 19 years old during the year of the draft. In terms of dates, players eligible for the 2014 draft must be born on or before December 31,1995. Any player who is not a player, as defined in the CBA. Player who are not automatically eligible must declare their eligibility for the draft by notifying the NBA offices in writing no later than 60 days before the draft, for the 2014 draft, this date fell on April 27. After this date, early entry players may attend NBA pre-draft camps and individual team workouts to show off their skills and obtain feedback regarding their draft positions. Under the CBA, a player may withdraw his name from consideration from the draft at any time before the final declaration date, under then-current NCAA rules, players only had until April 16 to withdraw from the draft and maintain their college eligibility. A player who has hired an agent will forfeit his college eligibility. Also, while the CBA allows a player to withdraw from the draft twice and this year, a total of 45 collegiate players and 30 international players declared as early entry candidates. On June 16, the deadline,18 early entry candidates withdrew from the draft. Players who do not meet the criteria for players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria. If they graduated high school in the U. S. but did not enroll in a U. S. college or university. They have signed a contract with a basketball team outside of the NBA, anywhere in the world

2.
Minnesota Timberwolves
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The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves compete in the National Basketball Association, as a club of the leagues Western Conference Northwest Division. Founded in 1989, the team is owned by Glen Taylor, the Timberwolves play their home games at Target Center, their home since 1990. Despite losing in the first round in their first seven attempts, Garnett was also named the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for that season. The team has been in rebuilding mode for the past decade since missing the playoffs in 2005, Garnett returned to the Timberwolves in a February 2015 trade and finished his career there, retiring in the 2016 offseason. NBA basketball returned to the Twin Cities in 1989 for the first time since the Minneapolis Lakers departed for Los Angeles in 1960. The NBA had granted one of its four new teams on April 22,1987 to original owners Harvey Ratner. The franchise conducted a name the team contest and eventually selected two finalists, Timberwolves and Polars, in December 1986, the team then asked the 842 city councils in Minnesota to select the winner and Timberwolves prevailed by nearly 2-1. The team was named the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 23,1987. Minnesota is home to the largest population of timberwolves in the lower 48 states, the Timberwolves debuted on November 3,1989, losing to the Seattle SuperSonics on the road 106–94. Five days later, they made their debut at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. Two nights later on November 10, the Wolves got their first win, the Timberwolves, led by Tony Campbell with 23.2 ppg, went on to a 22–60 record, finishing in sixth place in the Midwest Division. Playing in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, the expansion Timberwolves set an NBA record by drawing over 1 million fans to their home games. This included a crowd of 49,551 on April 17,1990, the next season, the team moved into their permanent home, the Target Center, and improved somewhat, finishing 29–53. However, they fired their coach, Bill Musselman. They fared far worse in the 1991–92 NBA season under Musselmans successor, ex-Celtics coach Jimmy Rodgers, finishing with an NBA-worst 15–67 record. One of the few highlights from that era was when the Target Center served as host of the 1994 All-Star Game where Rider won the Slam Dunk Contest with his between-the-leg East Bay Funk Dunk. As winning basketball continued to elude the Wolves, Ratner and Wolfenson nearly sold the team to New Orleans interests in 1994 before NBA owners rejected the proposed move, eventually, Glen Taylor bought the team and named Kevin McHale general manager

3.
Panathinaikos B.C.
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Panathinaikos B. C. known for sponsorship reasons as Panathinaikos B. C. Superfoods, and also simply as Panathinaikos, or by its full name. It is owned by the billionaire Giannakopoulos family, the parent athletic club was founded in 1908, while the basketball team was founded in 1919, being one of the oldest in the country of Greece. Alongside Aris, they are the only un-relegated teams with participation in every Greek First Division Championship until today, Panathinaikos has developed into the most successful basketball club in Greek basketballs history, and among the best in Europe, creating its own dynasty. They have won thirty-five Greek Basket League Championships, eighteen Greek Cups, nine Doubles, six EuroLeague Championships, one Intercontinental Cup, the team plays in the Olympic Indoor Hall, which has a capacity of 18,989 for basketball games. Panathinaikos is the team on the European continent to win as many as six EuroLeague titles. They hold a rivalry with Olympiacos, and matches between the two teams are referred to as the Derby of the eternal enemies. Panathinaikos started as a club in 1908. In 1919, basketball was still unknown in Greece, during that period Giorgos Kalafatis with other athletes participated in the Inter-Allied Games in Paris and attended basketball games between the Allies of World War I. When he later returned to Greece with the equipment, he set up the Panathinaikos basketball club. In 1919, PAO played their first match against X. A. N, Thessaloniki, another club also pioneer of basketball in Greece, a match which took place at the Panathenaic Stadium. During the German occupation that followed, Dimitris Giannatos was executed by the Nazis for his resistance action, in 1946 and 1947, Panathinaikos emerged champions, with the help of players like Giannis Lambrou, Missas Pantazopoulos, Stelios Arvanitis and Jack Nicolaidis. In 1950 and 1951, Panathinaikos emerged champions once again with the help of great athletes Faidon Matthaiou, in 1954 the club would repeat the success, however the next five years would prove fruitless and the club, despite its strength, would have to be renewed. In 1961 Panathinaikos won the Greek championship with new leaders Giorgos Vassilakopoulos, Stelios Tavoularis, in 1962 Panathinaikos made the repeat and was again the Greek champion. That was also the year that PAO took part for the first time in a European competition facing Hapoel Tel Aviv for the European Championship. In the 23rd of November 1963, Panathinaikos beat Olympiacos 90-48 for the Mantellos Cup, a tournament that was replaced by the Greek Cup. In 1967, Panathinaikos were crowned champions, with Giorgos Kolokithas in their ranks. In 1969, the conquest of the Championship was followed by the first European success of the club, the entrance in the semi-finals of the Cup Winners Cup, where they were eliminated by Dinamo Tbilisi

4.
Hapoel Jerusalem B.C.
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Hapoel has won several titles, including the ULEB Cup in 2004, and the Israeli League championship in 2015. In 2013, a new group headed by Ori Allon, took over. The team began playing in the Jerusalem Arena in 2014, Hapoel Jerusalem Basketball Club was founded in 1935 and incorporated in 1943 in Jerusalem. It had its first appearance in the Premier League in 1955, Hapoel played in the first division most of the 1950s and 1960s, with notable players, such as David Kaminsky and Amir Berlinsky. The following two decades had ups and downs, as Hapoel toggled between the first and second divisions, in 1986, led by coach Simi Riger the team advanced to the Premier League, after five consecutive years in the second division. Since then, Hapoel has remained in the Premier league and became an important factor in the Israeli Basketball, in 1996 and 1997, Hapoel won the State Cup, defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv in the finals, at the Yad Eliyahu Arena. The team was led by Adi Gordon, widely considered the teams symbol, in 2004, Hapoel Jerusalem won its first European title, the ULEB Cup, defeating Real Madrid in the final in Charleroi, Belgium. In 2005, Israeli-Russian billionaire Arcadi Gaydamak purchased a stake in the club. As a result, the team got stronger and signed four American players with an NBA record – Tamar Slay, Horace Jenkins, Roger Mason, the team also signed Israeli star Meir Tapiro. In 2007, Hapoel won its third Israel State Cup, defeating Bnei HaSharon 103–85 at Nokia Arena, in early 2008 Hapoel came back from being 22 points down, in the 4th quarter to win its fourth State Cup, beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 93–89. In late 2008 Hapoel won its first Israeli Basketball League Cup, in September 2009, oil tycoon Guma Aguiar joined Hapoel Jerusalem as the teams sponsor and helped clear the debts left by Mr. Gaydamak. This ensured Hapoel would be able to yet again at the highest levels. On October 8,2009 Hapoel beat Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Winner Cup finals 86–80, one year after the mysterious disappearance of Guma Aguiar, a new ownership group headed by entrepreneur Ori Allon took over, and Guy Harel succeeded Dani Klein as general manager. Once he decided to retire from the NBA in July 2016, on June 20,2014 the club signed coach Danny Franco who led Maccabi Haifa to the 2014 finals against current EuroLeague title-holder Maccabi Tel Aviv. That same day, the club also signed season MVP Donta Smith, on June 25,2014, the Executive Board of Euroleague Commercial Assets unanimously agreed to hand Hapoel a wild-card to compete for a spot in the EuroLeague qualifications. The move came in light of Hapoel positioning herself as a club with a new ownership group with great stability. On June 25,2015, Hapoel won the Israeli Championship for the first time in their history, 90% – An ownership group, headed by majority owner Ori Allon, including Eyal Chomsky, Shalom Menora, David Kleinhandler and Howard Wietschner. In Malha Arena, the Brigade was located behind the south side basket, at the Jerusalem Arena, the Brigade is located in stands #1 and #12

5.
Italy
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Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe. Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy shares open land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia, San Marino, Italy covers an area of 301,338 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate and Mediterranean climate. Due to its shape, it is referred to in Italy as lo Stivale. With 61 million inhabitants, it is the fourth most populous EU member state, the Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom, which eventually became a republic that conquered and assimilated other nearby civilisations. The legacy of the Roman Empire is widespread and can be observed in the distribution of civilian law, republican governments, Christianity. The Renaissance began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe, bringing a renewed interest in humanism, science, exploration, Italian culture flourished at this time, producing famous scholars, artists and polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. The weakened sovereigns soon fell victim to conquest by European powers such as France, Spain and Austria. Despite being one of the victors in World War I, Italy entered a period of economic crisis and social turmoil. The subsequent participation in World War II on the Axis side ended in defeat, economic destruction. Today, Italy has the third largest economy in the Eurozone and it has a very high level of human development and is ranked sixth in the world for life expectancy. The country plays a prominent role in regional and global economic, military, cultural and diplomatic affairs, as a reflection of its cultural wealth, Italy is home to 51 World Heritage Sites, the most in the world, and is the fifth most visited country. The assumptions on the etymology of the name Italia are very numerous, according to one of the more common explanations, the term Italia, from Latin, Italia, was borrowed through Greek from the Oscan Víteliú, meaning land of young cattle. The bull was a symbol of the southern Italic tribes and was often depicted goring the Roman wolf as a defiant symbol of free Italy during the Social War. Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus states this account together with the legend that Italy was named after Italus, mentioned also by Aristotle and Thucydides. The name Italia originally applied only to a part of what is now Southern Italy – according to Antiochus of Syracuse, but by his time Oenotria and Italy had become synonymous, and the name also applied to most of Lucania as well. The Greeks gradually came to apply the name Italia to a larger region, excavations throughout Italy revealed a Neanderthal presence dating back to the Palaeolithic period, some 200,000 years ago, modern Humans arrived about 40,000 years ago. Other ancient Italian peoples of undetermined language families but of possible origins include the Rhaetian people and Cammuni. Also the Phoenicians established colonies on the coasts of Sardinia and Sicily, the Roman legacy has deeply influenced the Western civilisation, shaping most of the modern world

6.
Italy national basketball team
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The Italian national basketball team is the national basketball team representing Italy. It is administrated by the Federazione Italiana Pallacanestro, Italy is one of the founding members of the International Federation of Basketball and has one of the worlds longest basketball traditions. The first match of the Italian national basketball team was played on 4 April 1926 in Milan, Italys first participation in the Olympic Games was at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, placing seventh out of twenty-one teams. At the EuroBasket 1937 Italy placed second behind Lithuania, after being beaten by just one point in the final game, the silver medal was repeated at EuroBasket 1946. This was also reflected at the level with the alternation of several head coaches within only a few years. Of special importance was Italys decision not to compete at the EuroBasket 1949 and it was the first time that the squad missed a EuroBasket. In 1957 as Nello Paratore took the coach position Italy made only slight improvements from the previous decade. At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome Italy showed its most impressive performance to this point where it placed fourth, only behind USA, USSR, curiously, the organizational expenses of the Olympics in Rome resulted in the decision not to participate in the EuroBasket 1961. In 1969, Giancarlo Primo became Italys coach, focusing the game strategies on defense, under his leadership Italian national team grew stronger, claiming a place among the worlds best teams. Under Primo, the Azzuri won two European bronze medals and earned two places at FIBA World Championship. Further, Italy finished fourth at the 1972 Summer Olympics where it lost the match for third place to Cuba by only one point, among the leading players of the national team were the young Meneghin, Marzorati, Villalta and Bariviera. As in the years before, Meneghin, Marzorati and Villalta were the cornerstones of the team, complemented by players such as Riva and this episode in time stands out to this day as the most successful in the history of the Italian national team. In the same year Enrico Vinci stepped down as President of the Italian Basketball Federation after 16 years, the place was taken over by Giovanni Petrucci. Ettore Messina became Italys coach in 1992, winning a medal at EuroBasket 1997 in Barcelona. This medal was the accomplishment of coach Messina, who served the team for five years and failed to qualify for the Olympic Games. The second gold medal at a European Basketball Championship arrived after beating Spain in the final game, after a ninth place at EuroBasket 2001, held in Turkey, Carlo Recalcati was called to replace Tanjević. Recalcati could count on Italys top talents Gregor Fučka and Carlton Myers, as well as valuable contributors such as Basile, Abbio, at EuroBasket 2003, Italy showed a strong performances and defeated Germany and Greece but was later kicked out by Spain in the semifinals. The victory against France in the medal game guaranteed the teams qualification at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens

7.
Basketball
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Basketball is a non-contact team sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of five players each. The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 inches in diameter and 10 feet high that is mounted to a backboard at each end of the court. The game was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket being defended by the opposition team during regular play. A field goal scores three points for the team if the player shoots from behind the three-point line. A team can also score via free throws, which are worth one point, the team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but additional time is mandated when the score is tied at the end of regulation. The ball can be advanced on the court by passing it to a teammate and it is a violation to lift, or drag, ones pivot foot without dribbling the ball, to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling. The game has many techniques for displaying skill—ball-handling, shooting, passing, dribbling, dunking, shot-blocking. The point guard directs the on court action of the team, implementing the coachs game plan, Basketball is one of the worlds most popular and widely viewed sports. Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the Euroleague, the FIBA Basketball World Cup attracts the top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for teams, like EuroBasket. The FIBA Womens Basketball World Cup features the top womens basketball teams from continental championships. The main North American league is the WNBA, whereas the EuroLeague Women has been dominated by teams from the Russian Womens Basketball Premier League, in early December 1891, Canadian Dr. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied, after rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums, he wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto a 10-foot elevated track. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball and these laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith, dribbling was not part of the original game except for the bounce pass to teammates. Passing the ball was the means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the shape of early balls. Dribbling only became a part of the game around the 1950s

8.
Boston Celtics
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The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association as a club of the leagues Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 and one of eight NBA teams to survive the leagues first decade, the Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which they share with the National Hockey League s Boston Bruins. The franchises 17 championships are the most of any NBA franchise, as a percentage of championships won, the Celtics are the most successful franchise to date in the major four traditional North American professional sports leagues. The Celtics have played the Lakers a record 12 times in the Finals, including their most recent appearances in 2008 and 2010, four Celtics players have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for an NBA record total of 10 MVP awards. Their mascot Lucky the Leprechaun is a nod to the teams Irish heritage, in 1950, the Celtics signed Chuck Cooper, becoming the first NBA franchise to draft a black player. The Celtics struggled during their years, until the hiring of coach Red Auerbach. In the franchises early days, Auerbach had no assistants, ran all the practices, did all the scouting—both of opposing teams and college draft prospects—and scheduled all the road trips. One of the first great players to join the Celtics was Bob Cousy, Cousy eventually became the property of the Chicago Stags, but when that franchise went bankrupt, Cousy went to the Celtics in a dispersal draft. After the 1955–56 season, Auerbach made a stunning trade and he sent perennial All-Star Ed Macauley to the St. Louis Hawks along with the draft rights to Cliff Hagan in exchange for the second overall pick in the draft. Auerbach also acquired Holy Cross standout, and 1957 NBA Rookie of the Year, Russell and Heinsohn worked extraordinarily well with Cousy, and they were the players around whom Auerbach would build the champion Celtics for more than a decade. With Bill Russell, the Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals and defeated the St. Louis Hawks in seven games, Russell went on to win 11 championships, making him the most decorated player in NBA history. In 1958, the Celtics again advanced to the NBA Finals, however, with the acquisition of K. C. Jones that year, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last for more than a decade. In 1959, the Celtics won the NBA Championship after sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers, during that time, the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals five times, starting an intense and often bitter rivalry that has spanned generations. In 1964, the Celtics became the first NBA team to have an all African-American starting lineup. On December 26,1964, Willie Naulls replaced an injured Tommy Heinsohn, joining Tom Satch Sanders, K. C. Jones, Sam Jones, the Celtics defeated St. Louis 97–84. Boston won its next 11 games with Naulls starting in place of Heinsohn, the Celtics of the late-1950s–60s are widely considered as one of the most dominant teams of all time. Auerbach retired as coach after the 1965–66 season and Russell took over as player-coach, with his appointment, Russell also became the first African-American coach in any U. S. pro sport

9.
Greek Basketball Cup
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The Greek Basketball Cup or Hellenic Basketball Cup is the top-tier level annual pro basketball national cup competition in Greece. It is organized by the Hellenic Basketball Federation, there were no official Greek Cups, or Greek Cup records, with regards to the tournament before the 1975–76 season. But according to sources, AEK won two unofficial versions of the Greek Cup in the seasons of 1966–67 and 1970–71. The first official Greek Cup took place during the 1975–76 season, from the 1994–95 to 2003–04 seasons, the Final Four format was used. The competition format in recent years includes a total of 30 teams,14 from the top-tier level Greek Basket League, the quarterfinals and onward rounds are played under a single elimination format. 6 clubs have won the Greek Basketball Cup, the 6 clubs that have won the Greek Basketball Cup all come from either the Thessaloniki or Athens urban areas, which are the two largest urban areas in the country of Greece. The Final Four system was introduced in the 1994–95 season, while the last Final Four was held during the 2003-04 season, from 1976 to 1994, the Top Scorer of the Greek Cup Finals was noted, regardless of whether he played on the winning or losing team. Since 1995, an MVP is named at the conclusion of the finals, players that are still active are marked in bold. Players that are active are marked in bold. com AllStar Basket Magazine Official Facebook Page Basketblog. gr

10.
National Basketball Association
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The National Basketball Association is the major mens professional basketball league in North America, and is widely considered to be the premier mens professional basketball league in the world. It has 30 teams, and is a member of USA Basketball. The NBA is one of the four professional sports leagues in the United States. NBA players are the worlds best paid athletes by average annual salary per player, the league was founded in New York City on June 6,1946, as the Basketball Association of America. The league adopted the name National Basketball Association on August 3,1949, the leagues several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices located in the Olympic Tower at 645 Fifth Avenue in New York City. NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus, the Basketball Association of America was founded in 1946 by owners of the major ice hockey arenas in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Canada. On November 1,1946, in Toronto, Canada, the Toronto Huskies hosted the New York Knickerbockers at Maple Leaf Gardens, the first basket was made by Ossie Schectman of the Knickerbockers. During its early years, the quality of play in the BAA was not significantly better than in competing leagues or among leading independent clubs such as the Harlem Globetrotters. For instance, the 1948 ABL finalist Baltimore Bullets moved to the BAA and won that leagues 1948 title, Following the 1948–49 season, the BAA took in the remainder of the NBL, Syracuse, Anderson, Tri-Cities, Sheboygan, Denver, and Waterloo. The new league had seventeen franchises located in a mix of large and small cities, as well as arenas and smaller gymnasiums. The process of contraction saw the leagues smaller-city franchises move to larger cities, the Hawks shifted from the Tri-Cities to Milwaukee in 1951, and then to St. Louis in 1955. The Rochester Royals moved from Rochester, New York, to Cincinnati in 1957, japanese-American Wataru Misaka broke the NBA color barrier in the 1947–48 season when he played for the New York Knicks. He remained the only player in league history prior to the first African-American, Harold Hunter. During this period, the Minneapolis Lakers, led by center George Mikan, won five NBA Championships, to encourage shooting and discourage stalling, the league introduced the 24-second shot clock in 1954. If a team does not attempt to score a goal within 24 seconds of obtaining the ball, play is stopped. In 1957, rookie center Bill Russell joined the Boston Celtics, who already featured guard Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach, and went on to lead the club to eleven NBA titles in thirteen seasons. Center Wilt Chamberlain entered the league with the Warriors in 1959 and became a dominant individual star of the 1960s, russells rivalry with Chamberlain became one of the greatest rivalries in the history of American team sports. The 1960s were dominated by the Celtics, led by Russell, Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach, Boston won eight straight championships in the NBA from 1959 to 1966